Mary J. Blige Leads Noms with Eight, While Gnarls Barkley, the Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Justin Timberlake Vie for Album Of The Year at 49th Annual GRAMMY(R) Awards Feb. 11, 2007.

James Blunt, Chris Brown, Imogen Heap, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Carrie Underwood Compete for Best New Artist

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Nominations for the 49th Annual GRAMMY([R]) Awards were announced today by The Recording Academy([R]) reflecting a year in which multiple genres were represented in top categories, new up-and-comers are nominated alongside established artists and a diverse array of producers and other creative professionals garner multiple nominations. The press event was held at The Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood and was attended by national and international media, as well as key music industry executives. Artists reading nominations this morning included Mary J. Blige, James Blunt, Chris Brown, Evanescence's Amy Lee, Ludacris, Corinne Bailey Rae, Rascal Flatts, Justin Timberlake, and KT Tunstall. The 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on "GRAMMY Sunday," Feb. 11, 2007, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 -- 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Mary J. Blige tops the nominations with eight, while Red Hot Chili Peppers garner six, James Blunt, the Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, Danger Mouse, Prince, Rick Rubin, will.i.am and John Williams each earn five nods. Beyonce, Bryan-Michael Cox, Gnarls Barkley, Israel Houghton, T.I, and Justin Timberlake receive four each.

"These nominations truly reflect a diverse and vibrant community of music makers and creators who represent some of the most remarkable music of the year," said Neil Portnow, President of The Recording Academy. "Once again, the GRAMMY Awards process has delivered a well-rounded group of excellent nominees, which promises music lovers a spectacular show filled with dynamic performances and "GRAMMY Moments" that can only be seen on the GRAMMY Awards telecast."

In the General Field, nominees for Album Of The Year are Taking The Long Way by the Dixie Chicks, St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley, Continuum by John Mayer, Stadium Arcadium by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and FutureSex/LoveSounds by Justin Timberlake. Nominees for Record Of The Year are "Be Without You" (Mary J. Blige), "You're Beautiful" (James Blunt), "Not Ready To Make Nice" (Dixie Chicks), "Crazy" (Gnarls Barkley), and "Put Your Records On" (Corinne Bailey Rae). The Best New Artist nominees are rock troubadour James Blunt, R&B singer Chris Brown, British singer/songwriter Imogen Heap, neo-soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae, and country singer Carrie Underwood.

This year's Song Of The Year nominees represent multiple genres from pop to R&B to country. Nominated songwriters include Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jason Perry for "Be Without You" (performed by Mary J. Blige); Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson for "Jesus, Take The Wheel" (performed by Carrie Underwood); Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Dan Wilson for "Not Ready To Make Nice" (performed by the Dixie Chicks); John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou and Corinne Bailey Rae for "Put Your Records On" (performed by Corinne Bailey Rae); and James Blunt, Amanda Ghost and Sacha Skarbek for "You're Beautiful" (performed by James Blunt).

Earning five of her eight nominations in the R&B Field, Mary J. Blige dominates the Field. Among her nods, in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance category she earned a nomination for "Be Without You," along with Beyonce ("Ring The Alarm"), Mariah Carey ("Don't Forget About Us"), Natalie Cole ("Day Dreaming") and India.Arie ("I Am Not My Hair"). In the Best R&B Album category, her Breakthrough album vies with Jamie Foxx's Unpredictable; India.Arie's Testimony: Vol .1, Life & Relationship; Prince's 3121 and Lionel Richie's Coming Home. Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals nods go to George Benson & Al Jarreau for "Breezin'"; Jamie Foxx featuring Mary J. Blige for "Love Changes"; Chaka Khan, Gerald Levert, Yolanda Adams & Carl Thomas for "Everyday (Family Reunion)"; John Legend & Joss Stone with Van Hunt for "Family Affair" (Sly & The Family Stone); and Prince & Tamar for "Beautiful, Loved And Blessed."

In the Pop Field, nominations for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal went to The Black Eyed Peas for "My Humps"; Death Cab For Cutie for "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"; The Fray for "Over My Head (Cable Car)"; Keane for "Is It Any Wonder?"; and the Pussycat Dolls for "Stickwitu." Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals nods go to Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder for "For Once In My Life"; Mary J. Blige & U2 for "One"; Sheryl Crow & Sting for "Always On Your Side"; Nelly Furtado & Timbaland for "Promiscuous"; and Shakira & Wyclef Jean for "Hips Don't Lie." And the nominees for Best Pop Vocal Album include Back To Basics by Christina Aguilera, Back To Bedlam by James Blunt, The River In Reverse by Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint, Continuum by John Mayer, and FutureSex/LoveSounds by Justin Timberlake.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Raconteurs, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Neil Young earned nominations in the Rock Field. Vying for Best Rock Album are the John Mayer Trio's Try!; Tom Petty's Highway Companion; the Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers; Red Hot Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium; and Neil Young's Living With War. Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal nominees are Coldplay with "Talk," the Fray for "How To Save A Life," the Raconteurs for "Steady, As She Goes," Red Hot Chili Peppers for "Dani California" and U2 & Green Day for "The Saints Are Coming." And Best Rock Solo Vocal Performance nominees are Beck ("Nausea"), Bob Dylan ("Someday Baby"), John Mayer ("Route 66"), Tom Petty ("Saving Grace") and Neil Young ("Lookin' For A Leader").

In the Rap Field, Missy Elliott competes with male rappers in the Best Rap Solo Performance category with "We Run This." Other nominations in this category are "Touch It" by Busta Rhymes, "Kick, Push" by Lupe Fiasco, "Undeniable" by Mos Def and "What You Know" by T.I. In the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, nominations go to Akon featuring Eminem ("Smack That"), Beyonce featuring Jay-Z ("Deja Vu"), Eminem featuring Nate Dogg ("Shake That"), Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris ("Unpredictable") and Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. ("My Love").

The Dixie Chicks earn two of their five nominations in the Country Field. In the Best Country Album category, their Taking The Long Way is nominated along with Like Red On A Rose by Alan Jackson, The Road To Here by Little Big Town, You Don't Know Me: The Songs Of Cindy Walker by Willie Nelson and Your Man by Josh Turner. For Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, the Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready To Make Nice" is up against the Duhks' "Heaven's My Home," Little Big Town's "Boondocks," Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts The Most," and the Wreckers' "Leave The Pieces." Nods for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals go to Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles for "Who Says You Can't Go Home," Solomon Burke & Dolly Parton for "Tomorrow Is Forever," Kenny Rogers & Don Henley for "Calling Me," Rhonda Vincent & Bobby Osborne for "Midnight Angel" and Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks for "Love Will Always Win."

This year's Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, nominations reflect established professionals across multiple genres with nods going to Howard Benson, T Bone Burnett, Danger Mouse, Rick Rubin and will.i.am.

In the newly re-named Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album category, the nominations are Solo Acoustic Vol. 1 by Jackson Browne; Black Cadillac by Rosanne Cash; Workbench Songs by Guy Clark; Modern Times by Bob Dylan; and All The Roadrunning by Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris.

Best Jazz Vocal Album nominees are Footprints by Karrin Allyson, Easy To Love by Roberta Gambarini, Live At Jazz Standard With Fred Hersch by Nancy King, From This Moment On by Diana Krall and Turned To Blue by Nancy Wilson.

The Best Gospel Performance category features nominees Yolanda Adams ("Victory"), Israel & New Breed ("Not Forgotten"), Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers ("The Blessing Of Abraham"), Chris Tomlin ("Made To Worship") and Tye Tribbett & G.A. ("Victory"). Vying for Best Traditional Gospel Album are An Invitation To Worship by Byron Cage, Paved The Way by the Caravans, Still Keeping It Real by the Dixie Hummingbirds, Alive In South Africa by Israel & New Breed and Finale Act One by Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers.

GRAMMY ballots for the final round of voting will be mailed on Dec. 13 to the voting members of The Recording Academy. They are due back to the accounting firm of Deloitte by Jan. 10, 2007, when they will be tabulated and the results kept secret until the telecast.

The 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions in association with Ken Ehrlich Productions for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Walter C. Miller is producer/director, Tisha Fein is the coordinating producer, David Wild is the writer, and Tzvi Small is supervising producer.

Established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., also known as The Recording Academy, is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards, The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs -- including the creation of the national public education campaign What's The Download([R]) (WhatsTheDownload.com). For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.

MEDIA, PLEASE NOTE: A complete list of nominees is available at www.grammy.com. For information detailing how to apply for press credentials to cover the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards, please click on the "Press" link located on the GRAMMY.com home page (http://www.grammy.com/press/credentials.aspx) and follow the directions posted. No credential applications will be accepted in any form other than that outlined on the Web site. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 29, 2006, at 5 p.m. (PT). NO EXCEPTIONS.